Charlie Hutton and his talented grand prix prospect Don Dino enjoyed a double victory in the Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges and Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I, both with impressive percentages at Mount Ballan.
Previously owned by Talland client Penny Manning, Charlie (pictured) took the opportunity to buy the nine-year-old 17.1hh Hanovarian gelding by Don Vino a couple of years ago.
“I have ridden him since a five-year-old; we just clicked. I believe in him and he is everything I had hoped for. This was only his fourth show at small tour level. He’s done two Premier Leagues and a couple of local shows. He made mistakes in both tests, but the quality of his work bought the marks back up. I didn’t find out our scores until we got home in the evening and it was a lovely shock.”
“My goal with him is grand prix, so I’ve taken it quietly and carefully to give him a sense of security, but we will be starting the bigger shows now,” said Charlie, who trains with Carl Hester.
Julia Stockley and the nine-year-old Sambuca II scored the highest percentage of this regional with 73.33% in the Visualise Sportswear Preliminary, despite this being only their third show in three years. In 2010, Julia turned out the then six-year-old 17hh Shire/Hanoverian cross mare by Waterlands Dancing Satyr a week after having qualified for the winter championships at prelim and novice level.
Julia, who works full-time as a coach driver and beer taster, said: “My leg was crushed when somebody else’s horse rolled on it, so she became a broodmare just nine months after I bought her.
“We’ve had lots of hurdles to overcome since I brought her back into work in March. I had to have two weeks off after I had an operation to take the metal out of my leg, she got cast, then she lost her footing on the road and skinned her hocks, so had to have another couple of weeks off. She only did her first competition on the 21st June and her second on the 29th. I don’t know how we managed to squeeze in one lesson with Tessa Thorne.
“She’s nine going on five as she’s not had more than one year’s work in her life, but she was awesome at Mount Ballan,” says Julia, who schools her in an undulating field.
Visualise Sportswear Preliminary
Julia Stockley and Sambuca II (owner: Rider) 73.33%
Louise Magris and Holme Park Salcido (owner: Rider) 70.76%
Ondine King and Florienne (owner: Natalie Brown & Rider) 70.76%
Dodson & Horrell Novice Restricted
Georgia Herbert and Megastar (owner: Rider) 70.46%
Katharina Sievert and Samba Song (owner: Rider) 69.20%
Dodson & Horrell Novice Open
Lucy Pincus and Sheepcote Fiesta (owner: David Pincus) 70.11%
Jonathan Boswell and Centaur Commadore (owner: Rider) 69.66%
Helen Askey and Boston HS (owner: Rider) 69.08%
Stretch & Flex Elementary Restricted
Karen Beddows and Michael Angelo (owner: Rider) 69.06%
Caroline Horn and Narramore Musicman (owner: Rider) 67.81%
Stretch & Flex Elementary Open
Zoe Sleigh and Bequila (owner: Christine Sleigh) 71.35%
Alice Peternell and Supreme (owner: Debra Coessens) 70.73%
Lucy Pincus and Sheepcote Doncalisto (owner: David Pincus) 68.96%
Dressage Deluxe Medium Restricted
Elizabeth Charlotte Albon and Zidane (owner: Rider) 68.47%
Sara Squires and Irish Dream (owner: Linda Penfold) 68.02%
Dressage Deluxe Medium Open
Matt Hicks and Don Carissimo (owner: Anne Keen) 71.44%
Zoe Sleigh and Bequila (owner: Christine Sleigh) 68.11%
Georgia Stokes and SOS Talented Mr Ripley (owner: Rider) 67.75%
Suregrow Fertiliser Advanced Medium Restricted
Lucy Anne Baker and Llancloudy Phantom Menace (owner: Shirley Tibbs) 67.89%
Sophie Rowcliffe and Fairways Lord Of The Ring (owner: Rider) 65.44%
Suregrow Fertiliser Advanced Medium Open
Michael Garman and Ripple (owner: Rider) 68.60%
Lucy Straker and Farramir (owner: Rider) 68.51%
Clare Poole and Zero (owner: Rider) 67.72%
Deb Criddle and LJT Akilles (owner: Lady Joseph Trust) 67.54%
Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges
Charlie Hutton and Don Dino (owner: Rider) 71.32%
Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I
Charlie Hutton and Don Dino (owner: Rider) 72.94%